The Buffalo Sabres are the worst team in the Eastern Conference, which sets the Montreal Canadiens up to win their fourth consecutive game coming out of the Four Nations Faceoff break. The Canadiens started the defacto second half with playoff contention as a distant memory. However, after those four wins they are in a position to be three points out of a playoff spot with a win on Saturday night. Montreal could pass three teams, the Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, and New York Rangers with a victory.
How to Watch Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres
Date: Saturday, March 1, 2025
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
Venue: KeyBank Center
How to Watch: City, Sportsnet East, MSG-Buffalo, TVA Sports, FuboTV
The Senators and Canadiens social media fan rivalry had reached an all-time high before the break, but Montreal has caught up again after a subsequent five-game losing streak for the Senators. It'll be an interesting set of circumstances if the Canadiens win on Saturday night and go three points back of a playoff spot, as the trade deadline is quickly approaching. Will Kent Hughes make a run at getting back to the postseason if Montreal continues to win, or was their return to grace before the break all he needed to see to be a seller?
The Sabres won their first two games after the break in dominating fashion, including an 8-2 victory over the Rangers in the first game back. They followed it up with a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks, but took another step back with their loss over the Carolina Hurricanes. It'll be an intriguing matchup on Saturday night, as it could tell the tale of which hot team after the break is for real. The Sabres have much more room to make up than the Canadiens, but stranger things have happened. They have two games in hand on the Columbus Blue Jackets and are 14 points back. Two wins in those games in hand could set them up for a possible miraculous run.